Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
I can’t wait for this game Saturday! I love the trash talking…It’s gonna be crazy! Â And you know my Giants are gonna get that W, Â right?!
Not surprisingly, New York Jets coach Rex Ryan made the biggest initial splash to stir up the war of words in advance of Week’s 16 all-New York NFL battle, saying his team was better than the New York Giants.
On Wednesday, two of the Giants’ most talented offensive players fired back, saying they aren’t all that impressed with the Jets’ best defensive player.
Wide receiver Victor Cruz, who leads the Giants in receptions with 73, receiving yards with 1,194 and receiving touchdowns with seven, told Big Apple reporters he isn’t intimidated by Jets shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis.
“Teams aren’t scared of him anymore,” Cruz said of Revis, per the New York Daily News. “He’s had to earn his money this year.”
Cruz later backtracked from his words on his Twitter account, saying “Please understand the media takes excerpts of my conversation to make a story. I don’t talk trash.”
Not far behind Cruz in numbers, second-year wideout Hakeem Nicks (70 receptions, 1,096 yards, six TDs) expressed a similar sentiment about Revis.
“He’s a decent corner,” Nicks told the Daily News.
Of the pair, Nicks is likely to be locked up with Revis more often on the outside, as Cruz does much of his damage working out of the slot.
Nicks also will want to make amends for a critical mistake in the shocking 23-10 home loss to Washington last Sunday. In that Week 15 game, Nicks couldn’t hold on to a pass from Eli Manning that would have gone for a 54-yard touchdown on the Giants’ second possession.
Revis is giving up more receptions this season, as teams are throwing to his side of the field more often. According to STATS, he has allowed 32 receptions for 521 yards in the 76 times he’s been targeted (42.1 percent), with 14 passes defended. Last season, Revis was burned just 19 times for 340 yards out of the 56 passes (33.9 percent) that were thrown his way.
The difference is, Revis is giving up fewer big plays (only one TD allowed this season in contrast to four in 2010) and making more of them. He has four interceptions in 2011—one returned for a touchdown—after having none in 2010.
No matter the opinion of the Giants’ receivers, you can bet Manning—after a three-interception game against the Redskins—will be wary of forcing throw in Revis’ direction this week.
WRITTEN BY Vinnie Iyer & FULL STORY HERE
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IN RESPONSE according to NFL.com:
When members of the Giants had their chance to respond to Jets coach Rex Ryan’s inflammatory comments ahead of Saturday’s matchup between the two Gotham teams, it wasn’t a surprise they had some things to say.
More surprising was the target. Giants wide receivers Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks both downplayed the skills of Darrelle Revis, the Jets’ best player and who’s widely regarded as the top cover cornerback in football.
“These guys can say whatever they want,” Revis said Thursday, according to the New York Daily News. “You just laugh at it. … We’ll see.”
Revis then directed a dagger at Cruz, who said Wednesday that “teams aren’t really scared (of Revis) anymore.”
“Whatever he says, it’s in one ear, out the other,” Revis said. “The only thing I remember about this guy is preseason.”
Revis is referring to a 2010 preseason game in which Cruz — then an unknown rookie — caught three touchdown passes in a Giants win over the Jets.
Cruz actually is fourth in the NFL in receiving yards this season, meaning either Revis isn’t a stats guy or he’s just trying to get a rise out of the receiver.
Ryan admitted during his Thursday media session that he likes when teams call out Revis, saying there are ‘a lot more guys’ he’d call out before the All-Pro.
Tongue firmly entrenched in cheek, Revis said he didn’t understand why he should be feared in the first place.
“I’m not a monster,” Revis said. “So why would anyone be scared?”
Expect a response from the Giants in 3 … 2 … 1 …
WRITTEN BY Dan Hanzus NFL.com